Monday, 4 November 2013

An African in Amsterdam ~ By Invitation Only

Hi Dear Friends!!!

As you all know, I have been away from blogging!!! I have however, always been kept in the loop by my dear friend Marsha from Splenderosa about what the topics were for our monthly "By Invitation Only" posts. And, when she decided that we had to have someone write us a blog post who is NOT a blogger, I thought this was the perfect opportunity for a re-opening post!!!!

My son, Byron is studying towards his Honors in Philosophy at Stellenbosch University is on a student exchange to Amsterdam University for six months. So, I have naturally been keeping in touch via Blackberry Messenger, Whats app, Skype, Face Book, email...you name it!!!!! What would we have done without the wonder of technology!!! I even receive pics of him shopping, his dinner, his washing...you get the drift.....sigh.....

I also receive regular updates on the partying, the weather, and requests for recipes, etc! So, I asked Byron to write a lil something of what he gets up to over in Amsterdam...apart from party vibe, that is....

So, over to Byron

I don’t blog!!!! I am so painfully self-reflective that
I’m likely to write more about the emotional experience of journaling than I am
to actually journal.... But, having left behind my friends, family and home
comforts to study a world away in Europe’s most liberal city, the compulsion to
write something about it is well, irresistible…

Here Byron is with his sister Jacqui in Johannesburg en route to Amsterdam via Munchen!!!!

The
first thing that hit me about Amsterdam, after dealing with the stress of
picking up my moolah at the airport, is the many means of transport… this may
seem mundane but I assure you it is not, especially coming from a country whose
public transport is often harrowing at best. Better than Amsterdam’s impeccably
clean trains and busses are Amsterdam’s trams which seem to glide miraculously
over the cobbled streets like busy blue centipedes… (they always seem more
animal to me than machine). The other famous Amsterdam transportation machine
of course are bicycles which are everywhere… by the third week my motley crew
of international student friends resembled a dangerously drunk and
bewilderingly cosmopolitan bicycle gang, cycling en mass (there are about
twenty of us) from bar to bar…

I would have much trouble locating my bike, I struggle to remember where I parked my car when I come out the mall!!!!!

Amsterdam’s
traditional “brown-bars” are a treat, but their beers are rather small (a
result of the general expensiveness of the city, though some may use it as an
excuse to mock a drunken Dutchman for impotence). We made our home at Café de
Geiter, a tiny student bar on Korte Leidsedwarsstraat , often crowded, but the best
place to get riled up before heading to Melkweg or Odeon to dance… incidentally,
be careful of Amsterdam bouncers/barman if you have a sparkling personality
like mine. Despite being a de Geiter regular I have regularly been refused
service for having had “too much”, something which has never happened to me in
my home city of Cape Town where, I can assure you, I can afford to get more
slizzard a lot quicker than I can on impotent miniature beer charged in Euros.
Without the intervention of one of my girlfrewnds (misspelt for effect)
bouncers at clubs are similarly reticent, sometimes before I have even begun
the evening… It is one of those Amsterdam dichotomies: open prostitution, and
the smell of weed every couple meters on the street, but don’t you dare appear
tipsy or at all “out of it”…

Anyway,
Amsterdam isn’t all about going from bar to nightclub (unless you’re 23)… her
many magical parks and hundreds of pretty canals make Amsterdam every bit as
romantic and relaxing a city as Paris, if that’s the side of the city you
choose to see. Ironically the red light district is actually one of the
quaintest parts of the city (it is easy to avert your eyes from the prostitutes
if you are so inclined). The Venice of the North is a good place to wonder from
shop to shop, including the fanciest China-town I’ve ever seen (around Zeedijk)
and the coolest little art galleries and café’s in the Jordaan. It is easy to
lose sight of all these things though, when one is a South African student
living 10 kilometers from the center and juggling university and the incessant
partying of European friends on a restricted budget of 600 Euros a month. But I
can testify that despite is notorious expensiveness Amsterdam can still rock
your socks off on such a budget. Amsterdam it seems is many things, to some it
is the heart of sleaze, to others it is bars and parties and to others it is an
undeniable cente of culture with Museums and galleries and an indie music
scene that one needs to live two lives to keep up with…

It is incredible how quickly one is
absorbed into the local culture here, I eat more cheese and bread than I ever
have in my life, I cycle more than anyone I know, my internal map of Amsterdam
is fully updated, and I have a corresponding internal schedule of hippie, hip
hop and high art events that I struggle to keep up with (both because cycling
20km’s a day is wearing me out and because every day of the week is party day
in Amsterdam)… But if you plan better than me and need less sleep… well, see
you on the Dam in a bit? Bring your bike, and a bong…

Thank you B!!!!

This is your mother again....

I do also get updates on academics from time to time and the last message I got read like this....." Hi Ma, got 92% for my exams....came top of the class, so now I can party with a clear conscience!!!!"

My response to that....

" Hi B.... Wowza that is way cool....SO PROUD of YOU!!!!!!

BUT.....

When is your thesis due?"

I got a one word response from Byron....

"Eisch"

(which is local lingo for....Oh my goodness, don't mention that!!!)

So, I live in hope that the thesis is getting the attention it is due and that the due date has not been completely forgotten!!!!!

I am very proud of both my children and am so grateful for the opportunity that Byron has to study abroad! He is a very versatile young man who is passionate about the subject he is studying. He is also doing a film making course and has been chosen as Chairperson for the Humanities Exchange Student Council at the University of Amsterdam. The life lessons he will learn and the friends that he has made from all over the world as well as the memories he will take with him will just be life changing experience....

I must just diarize the date for that Thesis....

and perhaps join the

"Mums who needs Wine" club....

Missing him so much, but so content that he is happy and having the time of his life.... on a budget!!!!!

Now that you know what students get up to when they are away from home hop over and enjoy all the other posts at Splenderosa

Please regale me with a comment or advise on my wine selection until the thesis is safely delivered to the prof, that is....

9 comments:

Veronica, what a brilliant post your son has given to us! I read every single word & think he sounds very mature in his speaking and totally a student in his activities. I love Amsterdam, as a tourist, and I believe they do have the best transportation of anywhere. But, I'm afraid I'll get lost so I'm still cabbing it to every place. But, there one can walk. & talk. to everyone it seems. So fortunate for him that you guys have made this possible for him. Bravo & Brava to both parents for this! So good to have you back!

Thank you my friend!!! I m so very happy to be back in this amazing group of inspirational bloggers!!! We are very blessed that Byron has this opportunity and all credit to him, he made it all happen on his very own!! Sending love xxxx

You must be one proud Mama. Byron sounds like an amazing guy and I can relate to your dual emotions of missing and yet being happy because your (adult) child is where he needs to be in order to grow. What a great experience for him and count me in your "Mums who need wine" club! Personally I think it should be mandatory for all mothers will college age sons :)

It looks as if Byron is having the time of his life, Veronica and still managing to excel in his studies ..... that's the way to do it !!!! It was also lovely to see his photographs ..... they bring back happy memories of our stay there. Byron, you have done a wonderful job for our BIO post this month..... I'm suprised that you found the time !! XXXX

I love seeing the canals and the bikes. Both my sons have spent time in Belgium with relatives and biked everywhere to get around. Likewise, my firstborn in both France and Switzerland, where he studied in high school and then in college. So this is pure pleasure for me to see and read. (It wasn't so long ago that #1 Kiddo was in Europe and #2 is headed that way for a semester next year.)

Spelderosa - next time you are in Amsterdam boycott the taxis! Bicycle is the only way... I was also nervous of biking at first (took me a while to get a bike) but after the first day of biking didn't look back... you will probably beat the taxi to your destination...

Welcome to my little dot in the Universe! I am so pleased you stopped by. Pull up the chair and pour a glass of wine or put on the kettle and click away. I started this Blog in mid May 2011, so it is a work in progress. Hopefully you will find something of interest, something of beauty or just a recipe to use, or even some great blogs on my bloglist. Please regale me with a comment or email. I love hearing from you and will answer all. Enjoy!

Photo Credits

Many of the photographs that I use in my posts, are from Pinterest and will be indicated accordingly. However, if any of the images belong to you, I would dearly like to be informed in order for me to give the proper credit to all the amazing photographers whose work we use. Should you want to use any image please link back to this site. Thank you.

Tidbits for Tastebuds

My new Food Blog! Please feel free to hop over to see what;s cooking!

My Blog on Cape Town ~ Mother City Magic

About Me

I am very fortunate to live in the amazing city of Cape Town and to share in The Mother City Magic daily. I am an empty nester who enjoys interacting with like minded people and this is just the most amazing space to share, dream, discover and be inspired. So, please join me and let us see where the road leads..